The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, are more particularly to a blower outlet for a vacuum cleaner having a hose receptacle opening in which an outlet hose may be placed.
Vacuum cleaners operate through rapid movement of air, which may cause considerable and irritating noise. In typical operation, a vacuum cleaner draws external air into a debris container by suction. The external air, which may be laden with debris or dirt that may be wet or dry, is filtered within the vacuum cleaner to remove the debris or dirt and is then exhausted from the vacuum cleaner. To ensure quiet operation of a vacuum cleaner, exhaust air, which is typically impelled at high velocity, is preferably diffused into the external atmosphere through a large opening or series of openings. However, it is also desirable to be able to use the high velocity exhaust air from a vacuum cleaner by directing it through an outlet hose which enables a user to direct the high velocity air at any desired location. It would thus be desirable to provide a vacuum cleaner that is quiet in operation, but which may be used with an outlet hose for directing exhaust air through the hose.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum cleaner that is quiet in operation but which may be used with an outlet hose.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner having the foregoing attributes and which additionally requires of a user only the simple insertion or removal of an outlet hose into a hose receptacle opening in the vacuum cleaner to use the outlet hose while enduring quiet operation of the vacuum cleaner.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner in which especially quiet operation is achieved when an outlet hose is not being used with the vacuum cleaner.
In a preferred form, the present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having an inlet leading into a collection chamber, a motor driven fan for withdrawing air from the collection chamber and directing it at high speed into a first duct. The vacuum cleaner further includes a second duct in switchable flow communication with the first duct and including an opening of effective large area, such as a plurality of spaced openings, through which air injected from the first duct may diffuse quietly into the external atmosphere. A valve means is included for interconnecting the first duct alternately to a hose receptacle opening, when an outlet hose is to be used, or to the second duct, when especially quiet operation of the vacuum cleaner is desired since exhaust air is then quietly diffused through the spaced openings in the second duct to the external atmosphere.
In preferred form, the foregoing valve means comprises a chamber in flow communication with the first duct and the hose receptacle opening and a second opening leading into the second duct. A hinged door is preferably included within the chamber with the door hinged in such a way as to normally block the hose receptacle opening and direct air injected from the first duct through the second opening and into the second duct where it is then quietly diffused into the external atmosphere. When it is desired to utilize an outlet hose with the vacuum cleaner, an end of the outlet hose is inserted into the hose receptacle opening, whereupon such hose end pushes the hinged door to a predetermined position within the chamber where the door blocks the second opening and causes air injected from the first duct to pass into the outlet hose for use as desired.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.